Method of forming a raintrough for a recreational vehicle awning

Abstract

A raintrough support clip includes a generally cylindrical main body made from an elastically resilient material, and having a circumferential gap to facilitate mounting of the main body around the awning reel of a recreation vehicle awning assembly of the type having a flexible valance sheet extending downward from the outer edge of the awning reel. The raintrough support clip also has an outrigger member extending outwardly from a lower region of the main body, with an upturned portion forming a generally U-shaped space between the outrigger and the main body. When a suitable number of the raintrough support clips are mounted along the length of the awning reel, the valance sheet may be readily deformed to form a rainwater drainage trough for receiving runoff from the awning. The drainage trough thus formed will carry runoff to one or both ends of the awning reel, thereby preventing the runoff from falling over the awning reel and forming a runoff curtain therebelow.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of forming a raintrough from the valance sheet of a recreation vehicle awning assembly of the type having: an awning sheet anchored to an elongate awning reel along a longitudinal awning connection line; and a flexible valance sheet extending downward from the outer edge of the awning reel; said method comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a plurality of raintrough support clips, each said raintrough support clip comprising:
 a.1 a generally cylindrical main body having a circumferential gap extending between an upper longitudinal edge and a lower longitudinal edge, said main body being made from an elastically-resilient material; and 
 a.2 an outrigger member cantilevering outward from a lower region of the main body, said outrigger member having an upturned portion and forming a generally U-shaped space between the outrigger member and the main body; and 
 
 (b) mounting each raintrough support clip to the awning reel in a selected location along the length thereof, by:
 b.1 elastically spreading the upper and lower longitudinal edges of the raintrough support clip's main body sufficiently to allow the main body to be disposed around the awning reel; and 
 b.2 disposing the raintrough support clip's main body around the awning reel in a selected location along the length thereof, such that the upper longitudinal edge of the main body is disposed under the awning sheet adjacent to the awning connection line; and 
 
 (c) deforming the valance sheet into the U-shaped spaces of the outrigger members of the raintrough support clips, to form a raintrough adjacent to the awning reel such that rainwater falling upon the awning sheet will flow into said raintrough. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein the outrigger member of at least one of the raintrough support clips incorporates a curvilinear portion. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  wherein the outrigger member of at least one of the raintrough support clips is of rectilinear configuration. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the raintrough support clips is made from an elastically-resilient plastic material. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1  comprising the further step of forming the raintrough to have a slope toward a selected end of the awning reel. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  comprising the further step of providing a raintrough extension having an inner portion disposed underneath an end portion of the raintrough formed from the valance sheet, and an outer portion extending beyond said end portion of the raintrough. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6  wherein the inner portion of the raintrough extension is suspended from the awning reel by a plurality of hanger straps.